Arts 16 Life
Food
Menu For Shevat
New trees bring hope for renewal.
ANNABEL COHEN
Special to the Jewish News
u b'Shevat is the new year of trees, or more specifically, the fruit of the trees; the day that commemo-
rates when sap begins to rise and each tree ages another year. There are many customs that relate to this
festival. Trees are planted in Israel en masse by school children to honor loved ones. And there are food
traditions we respect as well.
For many centuries, there has developed a custom of celebrating with an "ordered" meal — a seder — where
seven species of foods mentioned in the Torah are prepared. While seven is the minimum number of foods,
some people insist on serving up to 15 different varieties.
The seven foods are native to Israel: grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, barley, wheat and honey. To make up
the additional eight species, many folks add seeds, legumes and nuts (usually those that grow on trees or those
with shells, and especially almonds, since it is said that these are the first fruits produced).
Another tradition includes eating a fruit that's "new" or a fruit you haven't eaten yet this year.
This year, Tu b'Shevat begins at sundown Monday, Jan. 24. Why not celebrate with your own seder? Like the
Passover seder, this one also involves drinking four cups of wine and the recitation of certain passages of Jewish
text. While you may not adhere to a specific "order," serving the following foods — and, of course, red and
white wine — will make the holiday more meanin
Trees are one of the nature's greatest gifts to life on Earth.
For more recipes, see JNOnline.com
PISTACHIO CHICKEN
WITH FIG SAUCE
Chicken:
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup finely chopped pistachios
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
6 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
(about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup olive oil
Sauce:
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 t. minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
10 dried figs (any variety) cut into
eighths (tough stems removed)
2 T dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 300F. On a clean cut-
ting board, pound the chicken breasts
until they are very thin. Season lighdy
with salt and pepper and set aside. (The
chicken pieces will be quite large.)
Beat the egg with a fork in a medium
bowl. Set aside. Place the pistachios and
flour in a shallow bowl and mix well.
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick
skillet over medium-high heat.
Dip chicken into beaten egg, then
into pistachio mixture to coat. Place the
chicken in the prepared skillet (only one
or two will probably fit in your skillet)
and cook the chicken on both sides until
the coating is lighdy colored on both
sides (the chicken will not be cooked
through). Transfer the chicken to a bak-
ing pan and place in the preheated oven.
1/20
2005
62
Repeat the process with all the chicken.
While the chicken is heating in the
oven, make the sauce:
Add the oil to the same skillet (do not
reduce heat) you used for the chicken
(do not clean the skillet after cooking
the chicken). Add the onions and garlic
and cook for 5 minutes, stirring fre-
quently. Add the wine, vinegar and figs
and parsley and cook for 5 minutes
more. Taste the sauce and add salt and
pepper if needed.
Serve the chicken immediately with
the sauce spooned over. Makes 6 serv-
ings.
SALMON WITH ALMONDS AND
HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE
1/4 cup honey
1/4 grainy Dijon mustard
juice of 1 lemon
6 salmon fillet portions (about 6 oz.
each)
1 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a baking
sheet well with non-stick cooking spray.
Arrange the salmon fillets on the sheet.
Set aside.
Combine honey, mustard and lemon
juice in a small bowl and mix well.
Spread this mixture over the salmon
pieces. Pour the wine around the salmon
(not on top) on the baking sheet.
Cook the salmon for about 10-12
minutes (do not overcook). Serve the
salmon with any remaining pan juices
drizzled over the top and sprinkled with
the almonds. Makes 6 servings.
TAPENADE
This olive spread is a great appetizer
served with fresh or toasted baguette
slices or crackers. Vary the flavor by
using a variety of olives.
6 garlic doves (or more to taste), halved
2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
4 anchovy fillets (optional)
1 T. drained capers
fresh lemon juice to taste (start with
1/2 lemon)
3 T olive oil
1 t. fresh thyme (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in the bowl
of a food processor and pulse a few
times to chop well (this should not be a
paste). Makes about 2 cups.
BARLEY PILAF
2 T butter or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup pearl barley
3 cups chicken broth
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup golden raisins
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, garnish
Heat butter or oil in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat. Add
the onions and cook until beginning to
brown, about 8 minutes. Add the barley
and broth and bring to a boil.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook
until the barley is tender, 30 minutes or
more, and the liquid is evaporated (there
cannot be any liquid left in the pan or
the barley will be so gg y). Stir in the
lemon juice and season the barley to
taste with salt and pepper and stir in the
raisins and pinenuts. Spoon into a serv-
ing dish and garnish with fresh chopped
parsley. Makes 6 servings.
FIELD GREENS WITH BLUE
CHEESE, FRUITS AND
POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE
Pomegranate Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 T. pomegranate juice
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. dried tarragon (or 2 t. fresh
chopped tarragon leaves)
1 t. salt
1/2 ground black pepper
Salad:
12 cups mixed field greens
1/2 cup thin sliced Bermuda or red
onion
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, any variety
2 Clementine oranges divided into sec-
tions (or 1 small can mandarin oranges,
drained)
seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
1 cup grapes, halved
fresh chopped parsley, garnish
Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in
a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake
well.
Divide the greens among 6 dinner-
sized plates. Sprinkle with onions, blue
cheese and divide the fruits among the
salads. Drizzle the vinaigrette over and
serve (you will not use all the vinaigrette
— it keeps for week in the refrigerator).
Makes 6 servings. [I]